Engine rocker arm



Aug. 12, 1947. v c RQNFELDT 2,425,394

ENGINE ROCKER ARM Filed Aug. 25, 194-4 IN V EN TOR.

1 WWW- Patented Aug. 12, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ENGINE ROCKER ARM Henry C. Ronfeldt, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to Toledo Stamping and Manufacturing Company, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application August 25, 1944:, Serial No. 551,160

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates toengine rocker arms and more particularly to the contacting bearings used to engage valve stems and tappets in the overhead valve type of internal combustion engme.

Considerable difficulty has been encountered in obtaining a suitable wear resistant surface for the fixed contacting bearing. In many cases the fixed contacting bearing is an integral part of the arm member. In this case the material in the contacting bearing is of necessity the same as the material in the remainder of the arm member. Because of cost, strength, and working qualities the metal used in the arm member is such that a poor quality wearing or bearing surface is provided on the contacting bearing. In some cases a portion or the entire arm has been heat treated in order to harden the contacting bearing. This treatment improves the quality of the bearing surface to some extent but at the same time some of the desirable qualities of the arm members are destroyed. This difiiculty is encountered in cast, forged and some types of stamped engine rocker arms. In some types of stamped sheet metal rocker arms a separate fixed contactingbetween two layers of the arm member and then is copper hydrogen brazed in place. The temperature required for copper hydrogen brazing varies from 2000 to 2100 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature destroys the wear resisting qualities of the contacting bearing insert. Since the fixed contacting bearing is an integral part or is formed into an integral part of the engine rocker arm it can not be replaced. When the contacting bearing becomes too badly worn a whole new rocker arm is needed in order to provide a new fixed contacting bearing. This is wasteful with respect to material, manpower and finances.

My improved engine rocker arm entirely overcomes the above mentioned difficulties. In my improved rocker arm an independent contacting surface is provided for the rocker arm which is not assembled to the engine rocker arm until all brazing and heat treating is completed.

One object of my invention is to provide an engine rocker arm with an independent contacting bearing cup made of a different metal than the remainder of the engine rocker arm.

Another object of my invention is to provide an engine rocker arm with a contacting bearing cup that can be hardened or heat treated as a separate unit from the arm member.

Another object of my invention is t pr vide an engine rocker arm with a contacting bearing that can be secured to the arm member after the arm member is completely fabricated.

Another object of my invention is to provide an engine rocker arm with a fixed contacting bearing that can be replaced.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of the various parts of my improved device as described in the specification, claimed in the claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawing:

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a top plan View of a stamped engine rocker arm embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the engine rocker arm shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an end view of the engine rocker arm shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional View taken along line 44 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings in more detail in Fig. 1, I have shown an engine rocker arm I made of two layer of sheet metal 2-2. The engine rocker arm I is made from a formed sheet metal blank which is folded upon itself forming an eye 3. The eye 3 i threaded. An adjustable contacting bearing 4 provided with a threaded stem is secured in the threaded eye 3. A lock nut 5 locks the adjustable contacting bearing in place. On the opposite end of the engine rocker arm, ears 6 and 1 extend outwardly at substantially right angles to the plane of the layers 2-2. A contact bearing cap member 8 fits over the ears 6 and l. The cup 8 is provided with ears 9-9 which are folded over the ears 6 and 1. In folding the ears 9--9 the cap 8 is securely pulled up against the ears 6 and 1 so that the cup 8 is rigidly held in place. The cap 8 is made from suitable material that is hardened to meet the requirements of a contacting bearing. The Iayers 22 are usually brazed to rigidly fuse the layers into an arm member I. In my novel construction this is done before the cup 8 is secured to the arm,

The contacting bearing cup is provided with a smooth curved surface I!) which engages a valve stem or tappet (not shown).

It will be noted from the above description that my novel contacting bearing cup provides a novel means whereby a bearing is provided that is made of the most desirable material and treated in the most desirable way. The arm member also can be brazed and heat treated without e ectin the fixed contacting bearing,

3 If my novel fixed contacting bearing cup is damaged or worn it can be removed and replaced. In the present style of fixed contacting bearing it is not possible to replace'the bearing member consequently it is necessary to replace the entire engine rocker arm.

While I have described the details of one form of my invention, I do not wish to be limited to the particular form shown and described as it will be apparent that many modifications therein can be made without departing from the scope of my invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is: v

1. An engine rocker arm comprising an arm member, said arm member comprising a plurality of sheet metal layers provided with oppositely extending lugs at one end thereof; a hub intermediate said ends; and a cupped member provided with ears whereby said cupped member is rigidly secured to said lugs.

2. An engine rocker arm comprising a stamped arm member consisting of a plurality of formed sheet metal layers provided with ears extending 4 transversely at one end thereof; a, hub intermediate said ends; and a fixed contacting bearing comprising a cupped member adapted to be removably secured to said ears.

HENRY C. RONFELDT.

EEFERENCES CKTED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 

